NUST Iqbal Executive Development Centre has successfully concluded its executive programme on Technology-Driven Public-Private Partnerships, bringing together executives, policymakers, engineers and financiers for an intensive exploration of how technology and rigorous financial thinking can strengthen PPPs in Pakistan. The programme was led by Salman Qaisrani, Lt. Gen. (R) Dr. Muhammad Afzal and Dr. Iftikhar Mahboob.
The programme covered AI-driven feasibility and risk assessment, technology-enabled procurement, financial modelling, currency and tariff exposure, private capital mobilisation, energy security and dispute settlement mechanisms drawn from real-world PPP contracts. This combination of technical, financial and legal content reflects the multidisciplinary nature of infrastructure partnerships, where successful project delivery depends on coordination across engineering, finance and regulatory domains.
Participants gained practical insights into identifying the assumptions and risks that can make or break a PPP project before financial close, equipping them with sharper tools for more resilient infrastructure and investment decisions. This focus on pre-financial-close risk identification addresses a critical stage in PPP development, where flawed assumptions around demand, currency exposure or regulatory conditions can undermine a project’s viability long before construction begins.
The programme adds to IEDC’s growing portfolio of executive training initiatives at NUST, following the centre’s recent AI bootcamp for O and A Level students and its broader positioning as a venue for applying rigorous, corporate-style training methodology to specialized professional audiences. By bringing together technology-driven risk assessment with the financial and legal mechanics of infrastructure partnerships, the programme reflects a growing recognition that effective PPP execution in Pakistan increasingly depends on integrating AI and data-driven tools into traditionally finance and engineering-led processes.
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